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Weekly News Brief: 12.29.08-01.04.09

Sudan

In a critical news break, the rebel group JEM warned of imminent attacks against key government positions, although it is not clear if they mean to attack Khartoum again like they did this summer or other government positions… So far there is no news of attack.

Burma

The UN General Assembly voted on Wednsday in favor of a resolution that called for the release of Burma’s over 2,100 political prisoners including Aung San Suu Kyi and condemend the countries human rights record. The vote was four to one, with Burma’s allies like China and Indonesia voting against the measure.

In a welcome change new Thailand’s new Prime Minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, promises a more proactive stance on international human rights, specificaly citing Burma.

Burmese officials are worried about stepped up Security Council pressure when memebers Indonesia and South Africa are replaced by Uganda and Japan in January.

MONUC, the United Nations peacekeeping mission in DRC, announced Wednesday that it has asked the UN to initiate an inquiry into allegations of sexual abuse and other bad conduct by peacekeepers in North Kivu province. MONUC personnel have been involved in several sexual abuse and smuggling scandals since the force was first deployed in 2001.

Actress and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Mia Farrow published an account of a recent visit to DRC’s North Kivu province and appealed for intervention from the international community.

Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) soldiers, Ugandan rebels commanded by Joseph Kony, raided a Congolese village last week as they fled from a multinational offensive made up of troops from Uganda, DRC, and southern Sudan. MONUC condemned the attacks and has deployed additional peacekeepers to the area. A Congolese army spokesperson estimated on Saturday that a total of 35 Congolese civilians have been killed by the LRA in recent attacks.